Clamp nut apparatus



Aug. 14, 1962 G. JANSEN 3,049,368

CLAMP NUT APPARATUS Original Filed Dec. 30, 1957 INVENTOR.

GERHART JANSEN BY W www HIS` ATTORNEY United States Patent Oee 3,049,368Patented Aug. 14, 1962 3,049,368 CLAMP NUT APPARATUS Gerhart Jansen, 918E. South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah Original application Dec. 30,1957, Ser. No. 706,080, now Patent No. 2,935,299, dated- May 3, 1960.Divided and this application June 8, 1959, Ser. No. 818,605

2 Claims. (Cl. 287-203) The present invention is a division of theparent case entitled Clamp yNut Apparatus, Serial No. 706,080, filedDecember 30, 1957 now Patent No. 2,935,299.

This invention relates to clamping apparatus for fixedly clamping bolts,studs, shafts, wire and so forth and, in particular, is useful forsecuring equipment to a mounting plate, baiiie or bulkhead ywhere theequipment is provided with mounting bolts or studs, for example, be theythreaded or unthreaded.

The present invention utilizes in its design a plurality of grippingjaws, each generally taking the form of a wedge-shaped element having aninterior surface which is cylindrically concave and serrated and anexterior surface resembling the surface of a truncated cone segment.These gripping jaws serve to bite into a bolt, for example, disposedtherebetween when the jaws are forced into a tapered socket end of anexternally threaded, cylindrical carrier by means of a cap, threadedonto the carrier, supplying thrust thereto.

The employment of such apparatus, alone, to accomplish the clampingfunction is not new, as is evidenced by the patent, No. 674,244, grantedto H. McGeorge. The present invention is believed to improve on thisbasic design, however, by adding thereto a C-contigured spring whichcircumferentially holds in place a pre-selected number of jaw elements.Accordingly, the apparatus is suitable to accommodate the gripping ofbolts and shafts of various diameters. The greater the diameter of theshaft, the greater the number of jaw elements should be employed, so asto prevent off-centering of the shaft. Heretofore, such off-centeringhas presented serious diiculties incurred in the operation ofconventional clamping devices.

The .present invention also adds a compression spring between theconventional cap and the gripping jaws. The purposes for the inclusionof the compression spring are as follows: (l) a wider range of thrustforces may be exerted upon the jaws; (2) the cap will not tend to loosenor back-olf with spring employment, as would be the case where the capitself urges the jaw element into the carrier socket; and, mostimportant, (3) the cap may be turned all the way down on the cylindricalcarrier so as to butt against the baffle or support plate associated`with the shaft and thereby apply a tension force to the shaft itself.

In an additional embodiment of the present invention, a sleeve end nutmay be supplied the cylindrical carrier to accomplish purpose orfunction number (3) (see above). AIn such event, Wrench flats may bedisposed medially on the exterior surface of the cylindrical carrier.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide new andimproved clamping apparatus.

A further object of the present invention is to provide new and improvedclamping apparatus for securing bolts, studs, shafts and so forth, andfor applying tension forces to the same so as to retain the equipmentwith which they are associated to -mounting plates, baiiies, and soforth.

A further object of the present invention is to provide new and improvedclamping apparatus the design of which permits the accommodation ofbolts, studs and shafts of a variety of diameters, be they threaded orunthreaded, and which may be used for all purposes for whichconventional nuts are used.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

`*FIGURE l is an elevation of one form of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section of the apparatus of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an elevation of a second embodiment of the presentinvention, showing lthe incorporation of a ysleeve member and sleeveactuating nut thereby.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical section taken along the line 5 5 in FIGURE 2,showing with particularity the jaw gripping means employed by thepresent invention in both embodiments thereof.

F IGURE 6 is an elevation View of a representative jaw gripping elementemployed by the present invention.

In FIGURES l and 2 external member 10 represents a bulkhead, mountingplate or the like. Passing through external member 10 is an additionalexternal member 11, which may be comprised of a shaft, stud, bolt or thelike. Let it be assumed that it is desired for member 11 to be clampedby clamp nut 12, the same to apply a tension force to member 11. Clampnut apparatus 12 includes an internally threaded cap 13, an externallythreaded tubular carrier 14, gripping means 15, and compression spring16. As is seen with reference to FIG- URE 2, external member 1.1 passesthrough an aperture 17 provided in the base =18 of cap 13. Cap 13 itselfis threaded onto carrier 14. Carrier 14 has first yand second endportions 19 and 20, the latter being provided with an interior socket21. I aw means 15 is externally tapered and cooperates with socket 21 soas to bite into extennal member 11 when thrust is supplied by cap 13 viacompression spring 16.

The jaw gripping means 1S is indicated with particularity in FIGURE 5.As before mentioned, FIGURE 5 is a View, partly in cross-section, takenalong the line 5 5 in FIGURE 2, but not showing either cylindricalcarrier 14 or cap 13, for purposes of clarity. ln FIG- URE 5 jawgripping means 15 comprises a plurality of jaw elements 500circumferentially contained by a C-congured spring 501. Each of the jawgripping elements 500 preferably is provided with an external taperedsurface and an interior serrated surface of general cylindricalconfiguration. The jaw gripping elements 500 are also provided with anexterior groove 502 (see abso FIG- URE 2) to accommmodate the seatingtherewithin of spring 501. Accordingly, by means of C-spring 501, theseveral jaw gripping elements 500l are held in a predetermined positionabout external member 1r'1. It is desirable that there be includedwithin jaw gripping means 15 perhaps rive or six or even more jawgripping elements 500. The more in number (and the smaller in size) thejaw gripping elements, the more will the jaw gripping means 15 beadapted for the accommodation of external members 11 of variousdiameters. For shafts or studs of increased diameter, the number of jawgripping inserts 500 within the jaw gripping means 15 will be increased.This increase in the number of jaw gripping elements 500 employed willserve to preclude the off-centering of the shaft or stud 11. Hence, theversatility of the apparat-us is enhanced by this provision for jawgripping means 15.

Reference to FIGURE 6 reveals the configuration of each of the severaljaw gripping inserts 500. -It will be noted that the jaw grippinginserts 500 are provided with a plurality of indentations 600 mutuallyadjacent one of 3 which define a plurality of teeth 601. Hence, by theirdesign the several jaw gripping inserts or elements are capable to biteinto the shaft 11.

It will be easily understood with reference to FIG- URE 2 that, uponturning or rotating cap 13 over cylindrical carrier 14 in a directionwhich progresses cap 13 toward member 10, the thrust exerted bycompression spring 16 upon the jaw means 15 will be increased, thusincreasing the bite of jaw means 15 upon member 11. If the rotation ofcap 13 is continued so that its forward end comes in contact with theassociated face of member 10, then, upon continuing the rotation of cap13 relative to cylindrical carrier 14, a force of tension will beexerted upon member 11. This is because of the fact that the cylindricalcarrier 14 will tend to back away from the forward surface of externalmember 10 on the continued rotation of cap 13.

This force of tension above referred to may be produced by other means,as is evident with reference to a second embodiment of the invention asshown in FIG- URES 3 and 4. The apparatus of FIGURES 3 and 4 issubstantially identical with that of FIGURES l and 2, save for theaddition of sleeve member 400 and nut 401. In addition, for theembodiment shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 the carrier 14 is supplied wrenchats 402 and 403, disposed on opposite `sides thereof at some medialpoint. ln the apparatus shown in FIGURE 4, the cap 13 is turned down oncylindrical carrier 14, thereby increasing the thrust (via compressionspring 16) upon jaw means 15. clamping of external member 11. The forceof tension is next applied external member 11 by means of applyingthrust (via recessed nut 401) to sleeve member 400. This tension appliedto external member 11 may be increased to a substantial degree, by theemployment of two wrenches disposed upon nut 401 and wrench flats 402and 403, respectively, without disturbing but in fact increasing thebite into the retention of external member 11 by jaw gripping means 15.

While it need not be so, yet it is believed desirable that nut 401 beprovided with a recessed area on the forward surface thereof so as toaccommodate the placement therewithin of sleeve 400.

rThis operation accomplishes the fixed retention or While it is truethat for most purposes the carrier 14, sleeve member 400, nut 401, andcap 13 may be manufactured from a material such as brass, for example,yet it is highly desirable that the gripping jaws 500 be fabricated froma hardened tool steel.

While particular embodiments of the present invention `have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those `skilled in the art thatchanges and modifications may be made without departing from thisinvention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in theappended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

l. Clamp nut `apparatus including, in combination, an externallythreaded tubular carrier 4having first and second end portions, saidsecond end portion being provided with an interior, tapered, socket;externally tapered jaw means, for engaging an external elongate member,disposed interiorly of and cooperatively associated with said taperedsocket; an internally threaded cap having a sleeve portion means ofgreater longitudinal dimension than said carrier and a base portion,said sleeve portion means being threaded onto said carrier to advance,simultaneously, said base portion toward said jaw means and itselfbeyond said first end portion of said carrier to butt against anadditional external member from which said first mentioned externalelongate member protrudes and thereby urge said carrier outwardly fromsaid additional external member; and a compression spring cooperativelydisposed between said jaw means and said base portion of said cap.

2. Apparatus according to claim l in which said base portion of said capis provided with a central, external elongate member admittanceaperture.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS524,848 Doebler Aug. 21, 1894 1,989,083 Dahnken et al. Ian. 29, 19352,783,024 Lee Feb. 26, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,016,237 France Aug. 20,1952

